NC explosion injures two

An explosion at a chemical plant in western North Carolina injured two people Tuesday morning.

BY HEATHER MOYER | MORGANTON, N.C. |
January 31, 2006

An explosion at a chemical plant in western North Carolina injured two people Tuesday morning.

Witnesses report hearing a loud explosion and seeing a small mushroom cloud at the Synthron chemical plant shortly before noon. The plant is in Morganton, a small town 55 miles east of Asheville. Two people were airlifted to a nearby hospital.

Authorities evacuated the immediate area around the plant and told other residents to stay inside their homes and keep all doors and windows shut. Several roads near the plant have been closed and police are telling the public to stay out of the area.

There is no word on what caused the explosion.

Synthron makes a number of specialty chemicals for a number of products, including textiles, paints and perfumes.